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Auto alternatives for the 21st centuryFri, 09 Dec 2016 20:46:09 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.4Nissan Leaf Crosses 100,000 Mile Markhttp://www.hybridcars.com/nissan-leaf-crosses-100000-mile-mark/
http://www.hybridcars.com/nissan-leaf-crosses-100000-mile-mark/#commentsTue, 17 Dec 2013 19:34:42 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=104137Steve Marsh of Kent, Wash., has just celebrated 100,000 all-electric miles driven in his Leaf. Marsh purchased his Nissan Leaf early in 2011 for his 130 mile-roundtrip daily commute making him one of the first adopters of the car launched in Dec. 2010. Nissan says he has (naturally) used no gasoline in the all-electric car, creating […]

]]>Steve Marsh of Kent, Wash., has just celebrated 100,000 all-electric miles driven in his Leaf.

Marsh purchased his Nissan Leaf early in 2011 for his 130 mile-roundtrip daily commute making him one of the first adopters of the car launched in Dec. 2010. Nissan says he has (naturally) used no gasoline in the all-electric car, creating no tailpipe emissions and, by his estimation, he saved thousands of dollars.

“With a daily commute of about 130 miles, I’ve saved more than $9,000 compared to my old gas-powered car since I bought my Leaf,” said Marsh, a financial controller for Taylor Shellfish, who credits Washington’s strong charging infrastructure. “With plenty of public charging options, as well as a charger installed at my office, my Leaf is a perfect car for my commute.”

Marsh said he made the decision to go electric primarily based on the Leaf’s low cost of ownership.

“While many early buyers were excited to buy a Leaf for environmental reasons or to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, Steve Marsh is a prime example of consumers who approach electric cars with a practical mindset,” said Erik Gottfried, director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing at Nissan. “Most buyers now choose the Leaf for the simple economics that Steve recognized right away. Nissan Leaf costs much less to drive and maintain than a gas car yet still provides a great driving experience.”

To support and speed the adoption of electric vehicles in the state, Washington developed one of the country’s most robust EV charging networks. The West Coast Electric Highway opened last year giving EV drivers range confidence that they can find easy and convenient charging along Interstate 5 and other roadways.

With a full charge in about 30 minutes, the fast charger at the Tumwater Shell station is a regular stop for Steve Marsh and his son Christopher, according to Nissan, making it possible to carpool to work in an all-electric car.

Nissan also explained when Marsh bought his Leaf, he approached his employer to consider installing a charging unit for public use at his Taylor Shellfish office in Shelton. His management quickly agreed it was a good idea, he said, especially since it aligns with the company’s environmental philosophies. His was among the first businesses in the region to install a public charging station. Since then, the company has added charging at its shellfish hatchery in Quilcene, along the Hood Canal.

“It’s exciting to see how this network of charging stations is breaking the range barrier for EV owners,” said Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson who also drives a Nissan Leaf. “It puts Washington’s diverse, natural landscapes in easy reach without vehicle emissions and at a significantly lower cost.”

According to Nissan, more than 5,000 plug-in-electric cars are already registered in the state. Washington has among the cleanest and least expensive supply of electricity in the nation, making it an ideal place to drive electric. In addition to the lower operating costs of driving on electricity compared to gasoline, EV drivers also enjoy fewer routine maintenance costs.

Since the launch of Nissan Leaf in December 2010, Nissan has sold more than 40,000 all-electric Leaf cars in the United States and more than 92,000 globally.

Through November in 2013, Seattle-Tacoma is one of the top U.S. markets for total Leaf sales with an increase of more than 230 percent over the same period in 2012.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/nissan-leaf-crosses-100000-mile-mark/feed/0Tesla Model S Catches Firehttp://www.hybridcars.com/tesla-model-s-fire/
http://www.hybridcars.com/tesla-model-s-fire/#commentsFri, 04 Oct 2013 04:45:00 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=76425Tesla likes the fact that its cars are hot, but not this type of hot: a real fire. The fire happened Wednesday this week to a Tesla Model S in Kent, Wash., about 20 miles south of Seattle. According to statements made by the driver, Steve Emmert, the Tesla Model S would’ve hit something in […]

]]>Tesla likes the fact that its cars are hot, but not this type of hot: a real fire.

The fire happened Wednesday this week to a Tesla Model S in Kent, Wash., about 20 miles south of Seattle.

According to statements made by the driver, Steve Emmert, the Tesla Model S would’ve hit something in the HOV lane of highway 167, which resulted in the car running poorly. The driver opted to exit and a fire started at the end of the off-ramp.

Steve Emmert was driving a black Model S like the one pictured at the top of this article. The day was rainy.

Witnesses of the fire posted a short video of the fire online. It quickly became viral.

The official report says that the car began smoking and took on fire; flames were mostly coming out of the front of the Tesla.

Tesla released on the same day, Wednesday October 2, the following statement about this fire:

“Yesterday, a Model S collided with a large metallic object in the middle of the road, causing significant damage to the vehicle. The car’s alert system signaled a problem and instructed the driver to pull over safely, which he did. No one was injured, and the sole occupant had sufficient time to exit the vehicle safely and call the authorities. Subsequently, a fire caused by the substantial damage sustained during the collision was contained to the front of the vehicle thanks to the design and construction of the vehicle and battery pack. All indications are that the fire never entered the interior cabin of the car. It was extinguished on-site by the fire department.”

It is too early to know exactly where the fire originated, but reading the official report from the Regional Fire Authority of Kent, it looks like firemen had trouble extinguishing the blaze in or around the battery. They ended up drilling holes in the battery and sending water or dry chemicals to completely extinguish the fire.

This raises the question of making sure firemen are properly trained to identify and handle electric vehicles fires.

It is well known that an EV like the Tesla Model S is safe, to the same extent as a well conceived conventional car. But batteries are flammable and are so in a different way compared to gasoline. Neither type of vehicles are immune to a fire or flame-out resulting in an accident.

The National Highway Safety Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that lithium-ion batteries do not pose a greater fire risk than gasoline-powered vehicles.

The Chevrolet Volt was involved in a story late 2011 about some of them possibly catching fire a few weeks after being tested for NHTSA crash tests. Nothing really came out of it and NHTSA released in November 2011 a statement signaling the “NHTSA remains unaware of any real-world crashes that have resulted in a battery-related fire involving the Chevy Volt or any other electric vehicle. NHTSA continues to believe that electric vehicles show great promise as a safe and fuel-efficient option for American drivers.”

NHTSA said in the same statement “Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. Generally all vehicles have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash. However, electric vehicles have specific attributes that should be made clear to consumers, the emergency response community, and tow truck operators and storage facilities.”